The morning started off too chilly for Zoo bunnies to be out feeding, but there were plenty of squirrels on my way in. Before we began, I found out that the grizzly cub brothers, now out of quarantine, finally had names: Scout and Montana! The guests arrived, and we broke the morning's surprise, a first for the Education Department. We were going to the Zoo's hospital!
One of our favorite vet's met us at the Otto Center and led the way via a scenic route through Balboa Park. It's much quicker than going in through the Zoo, and this way the guests could avoid trekking up "cardiac hill". Stepping first through a mandatory foot bath, we entered the hospital and one of its main exam rooms. Though staff is not on the premises at all times, vets and techs are on call 24/7. Zoo security conducts routine checks after hours and notifies the appropriate people if an issue presents itself. However, vets and techs do staff the hospital in continual successive shifts if an animal is in a condition that requires constant monitoring. We were introduced to a Parsons chameleon named Big Daddy. Chameleon means "Earth lion", and this particular one was having some trouble with his feet. Allowing them to heal cleanly, he had a little red cast on each of his back feet. It was a shame that he had foot problems, but the little casts were so cute!
Next we met a female Fernands skink, a carnivorous member of the most diverse group of lizards. She had a radiograph taken to determine if she was gravid, or with eggs. This is done in many cases if a lizard's abdomen is enlarged. The vets and keepers are then able to determine if the lizard is going to lay soon so they can keep an eye out, or if the full clutch of eggs was laid which is important for the lizard's health. The digital radiograph is available immediately and provides much more versatility and detail than the older hand-developed x-rays. The skink was totally calm during the process; she just hung out while the radiograph was taken! In some cases, like this one, the eggs are not developed enough to be detected in this manner, so the vets used an ultrasound. The ultrasound can even pick up follicles, which are eggs that haven't ovulated yet. The results were inconclusive today; this skink may just have been putting on some winter weight. =)
Occasionally an animal needs to be darted. To many people, this brings anesthetics to mind, but darts are also sometimes used for vaccinations and pain medication on animals that would be more stressed by a trip into the hospital. The old darting system involved metal darts and a powder charged dart gun. Vets were unable to tell if the full dose had been administered through the metal sides of the dart, and the dart gun was so loud that often animals would run away from the sound before the dart would actually reach them. Today, darts are plastic, making it lighter and the dosage visible. The dart guns make use of pressurized air, much quieter and quicker to handle. The darts make use of a similar system. The back chamber holds pressurized air, and the front chamber holds the dosage to be administered. A pink, fuzzy flight is attached to the back end for aid in accuracy; darts can travel up to fifty yards! A normal hypodermic needle has a hole at the end. These darts have holes on the needles' sides, though the end is still pointed to start the injection. When the dart hits, the small plastic sleeve covering the holes is pushed back, releasing the pressure and the medication. The back doors were opened to reveal Emilio, the darting practice deer (artificial of course!). One guest had the opportunity to try his hand at darting, but didn't quite make the distance. Great try!
We wrapped up in the upstairs medical library which allows full view of the exam room and the surgery suite below. It also houses one of the monitors hooked to the hospitals camera system. Highly maneuverable cameras sit in each room, giving the vets and keepers the ability to monitor the animals without altering their behavior. We looked in on a new female raccoon that's being introduced to the male in the Children's Zoo. We also saw two Sunda parrot finches and an old world comb duck, comfortably socializing in their enclosures. After a few questions, it was back through the foot bath and off to enjoy muffins and hot drinks, much appreciated on a cold day. Thanks to the wonderful vets and our great educator!
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